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Image Credit: Neanderthal-Museum, Mettmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Study Suggests Interbreeding Favored Neanderthal Men and Human Women
A new genomic study proposes that interbreeding between Neanderthals and early modern humans was not evenly distributed between sexes. Instead, pairings may have occurred more frequently between Neanderthal males and Homo sapiens females.
Researchers analyzed ancient Neanderthal genomes alongside DNA from modern African populations without Neanderthal ancestry. Their results offer a possible explanation for so-called “Neanderthal deserts” — regions of the modern human genome, particularly on the X chromosome, where Neanderthal genetic material is scarce or absent.
While most people outside Africa today carry about 2% Neanderthal DNA, these inherited fragments are unevenly distributed across the genome. The X chromosome, one of the sex chromosomes, contains notably fewer Neanderthal sequences than other chromosomes.
Previously, scientists suggested that Neanderthal genes in these regions may have been biologically disadvantageous and removed through natural selection. However, the new study argues that mating patterns provide a more plausible explanation.
Because females carry two X chromosomes and males carry one, a preference for unions between human females and Neanderthal males would have limited the transfer of Neanderthal X chromosomes into later human populations. This demographic bias could explain the genetic pattern observed today.
The researchers emphasize that multiple factors—including natural selection, migration patterns, and social structures—may have shaped the genetic legacy of Neanderthal-human contact. While the findings shed light on ancient interactions, the social and cultural reasons behind these mating patterns remain uncertain.
The study contributes to ongoing research into how Neanderthals and modern humans interacted after their lineages diverged roughly 600,000 years ago.
Published on: 26-02-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Live Science